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One host set to coast
Japan looks bound for second round; Mexico could surprise
Posted: Sunday June 09, 2002 11:42 AM
CNNSI.com's World Cup analyst Gabriele Marcotti is covering every kick of the tournament, with a "91st Minute" column filed each matchday. Click here to submit a comment or question to Marcotti's mailbag.
Japan won its first-ever World Cup match, beating Russia 1-0, thanks to a goal by Junichi Inamoto. Massive celebrations ensued from the co-hosts (who, in terms of enthusiasm, are matching South Korea blow for blow), and now it seems that the tradition of hosts advancing to the second round will continue with Japan: provided Philippe Troussier's men can get past Tunisia.
It wasn't that long ago that Mexico, rightly or wrongly, was stuck with the reputation as the kind of team that crumbled under pressure. Maybe it's
down to fiery boss Javier Aguirre, but that rep clearly no longer applies.
Against Ecuador, Mexico went a goal down after just five minutes, raising the specter of another upset loss. It would have been disastrous, as the Mexicans face group favorite Italy (which desperately needs a win) in the final group match on Thursday.
But Aguirre's troops came storming back, leveling the score with Jared Borgetti and winning it through Gerardo Torrado, who had a monster game, in the second half. Overlooked by many (including yours truly) before the tournament, Mexico is proving to be a flexible, well-organized team that could spring a few more surprises (Italy beware...).
For the second straight match, Turkey scored first and then failed to hang on to the lead. This time it was in a 1-1 draw against Costa Rica, as Emre Belozoglu opened the scoring in the second half, only for Winston Parks to equalize four minutes from the end.
In fact, both Parks and Arif Erdem had clear goal chances in a frenzied finale. Turkey will rue the missed chance to take all three points, but Costa Rica was solid, both going forward and defensively, where it shut down both striker Hakan Sukur and offensive midfielder Yildiray Basturk.
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Gerardo Torrado (Mexico).
A perpetual motion machine in midfield, Torrado is proving to be the heart and soul of Mexico. Against Ecuador, he was a dominant figure in the middle of the park, and his long-range strike proved to be the winning goal.
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Vladimir Beschatsnykh (Russia).
He did everything right, beating defender and goalkeeper, before squandering
a gilt-edged chance to equalize. To be fair, it's not easy to come on a
substitute and get straight into the game, but his miss could cost Russia
its place in this tournament. Dreadful.
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Junichi Inamoto (Japan).
A fine strike, capping some great interplay with Atsushi Yangisawa, but also a crucial goal, his second in the competition.
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Despite playing some wonderful soccer, Turkey is on the verge of elimination, paying the price for its inability to protect leads and a system that perhaps puts too much pressure on midfielders Emre Belozoglu and Yildiray Basturk, who are both very young. Coach Senol Gunes will want to add a second striker (perhaps Arif Erdem?) alongside Hakan Sukur from the start in the final match against China. Hakan Sukur is not a prolific goalscorer even when he's having a good run, and when Basturk also struggles, as happened against Costa Rica, Turkey looks distinctly punchless and all its possession, movement and passing in midfield doesn't yield results up the pitch.
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In Group D, co-host South Korea, which arguably played the best soccer we've seen in this World Cup in its opener against Poland, takes on the U.S., fresh off its stunning win over Portugal.
Could this be the start of a New World Order? Long-time minnows turning into juggernauts?
We'll find out soon enough. A convincing victory for either nation would certainly help. It'll be interesting to see what the U.S. can do against a team that doesn't self-destruct.
All eyes are on Portugal, a team looking for redemption against Poland. History shows you're allowed one slip-up in the first round; now Portugal has used its "Get Out of Jail Free" card and it needs to deliver on all fronts.
Against Tunisia in Group H, Belgium needs to forget the defensive blunders in the opener and play the kind of careful, tactically savvy game it is known for. Tunisia looked bright in spells, but it will take a lot for it to grab points against the Belgians.
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Manuel Rui Costa (Portugal).
He struggled against the U.S. and often saw his midfield being overrun. Figo may provide the star power, but it's Rui Costa who runs the team, and when he's on top of his game, he is as good as they come. If he allows himself to be shut down as he was against the U.S., Portugal is in serious trouble. |
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Do you agree that the Argentina national team has been overrated? It seems to me that they are still living off of memories from past World Cups. There are new world national teams that can now beat any other powerhouse team, as new breed of young players are born every day.
--Rigo Garcia, San Dimas, California, U.S.
Answer: Yes and no. Argentina does have some fundamental flaws, just like any other nation. Argentina's weaknesses include, in my opinion, the 3-3-1-3 formation, the fact that many key players are coming off lackluster or injury-plagued seasons and the lack of natural width on the right.
Having said that, Argentina remains among the favorites for the World Cup and is as talented as any team in the competition. Of course, any team can be beaten on its day (as England showed, exploiting Argentina's flaws, taking the lead on a penalty and then defending well), but Marcelo Bielsa's troops are still among the very best.
Click here to read Marcotti's most recent mailbag, and here to submit a comment or question.
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